All television shows have them — the characters specifically created to cause drama, break up a relationship, and/or foil the protagonist. The characters that simply by their description America will hate. “Girl to get in the middle of epic relationship.” “Inconsiderate boyfriend.” “Person who will throw entire family under the bus for a an extra dollar.”

Most of the time we do actually hate these characters (ahem, I’m talking to you Oliver Trask), but sometimes against all odds these characters manage to make themselves… likable. Not just likable, but they become beloved. They are analyzed to death. They reach cult status. They get their own spinoff shows.

Here are 5 television characters we should have hated but actually loved.

Ah, the sibling dance routine, a rite of passage/most awkward moment for many a youngster. My childhood dance routine with my brother included the school talent show, matching hats, and a song about the US Presidents. Thanks for that one, mom.

Whenever a television show decides to insert a sibling dance routine, usually years and even decades after it was appropriate, the result is comic genius. Maybe I’m just a sucker for bad dancing, but honestly I don’t know why we aren’t seeing more of this on television. I implore all shows to give us what we want — more adults doing awkward sibling dance routines

The two women who have influenced my life the most are my mother and Lorelai Gilmore.

There it is.

It may seem like a dramatic statement, but I’m a dramatic person. Also, it’s the truth.

I credit Lorelai Gilmore with my love of Mallomars, my musical tastes, and my hyper-verbal, hyper-ridiculous personality. I firmly believe everything I need to know in life I learned from Gilmore Girls.

But country music? I didn’t understand it. Like why would I want a man who wore cowboy boots when I could be interested in a man, who, say, didn’t?

Enter Caitlin.

Caitlin is all about country music. And men who wear cowboy boots. We’re talking, she listens to “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy” into country music. And being the wily creature she is, over the past year Caitlin has slowly converted me to the church of country music.

She did it subtly, “You should listen to this country song. Just this one. It reminds me of you.”

She knows I can’t resist anything that relates to me. ME ME ME.

Then she played the best-of-the-best country music while she was getting ready so I would ask her, “Hey, what song was that?”

She’s smart, that one.

The thing that draws me to country music, above all else, is the intensity of emotion. There’s no shying away from it, no downplaying it. In fact, the formula for country music seems to be:

Feel emotion.

Amplify said emotion to the nth degree.

Let emotion destroy you.

Sing about emotion destroying you.

Since this is basically the formula for my life, country music turns out to be a great fit for me.

Here are five country songs that have been on repeat during the last year.

1. Better Dig Two: The Band Perry

INTENSITY.

2. Travelin’ Soldier: The Dixie Chicks

Chuck Klosterman argues the Dixie Chicks are the new Van Halen and, honestly, I’ve been mulling this idea over for a few years now and am still not ready to state my opinion. Stay tuned. Until then, listen to this on repeat.

It’s a tale as old as time — boring lead character is created to be the “relatable” one on a television series. Zany minor characters all-too-easily take over the show and our hearts. We wish lead character would be quietly killed off and never spoken of again. You know.

Here’s a look at 5 television leads eclipsed by their supporting characters.

Last month, the internet buzzed as Jonathan Taylor Thomas returned to the small screen for a part on Last Man Standing. The announcement of his return was lauded as, “The best Valentine’s Day news of the year.” People.com ran an article about him and followed up with the headline, “Jonathan Taylor Thomas — famous or not — is still loved by fans.” Girls of the 90s rejoiced.

What is it about this former child star that inspires such excitement 15 years later? Why does an entire generation of girls still squeal when they hear his name? Why on earth am I one of those girls?

Here’s a look back at JTT’s career, our crush on him, and why we still care about Randy Taylor.

My lovely friend Elisa had a layover in LA yesterday and I got to spend a few hours with her. It was a day full of giggling and screaming and talking so fast you have to slow down to catch your breath. I love those days.

When Elisa saw me she said, “Look at you!” I told her I was regretting my outfit since it was so cold outside and she just laughed, “Jill, a sexy choice is never the wrong choice.”

This is why I love her.

We spent the day eating our way through Newport and reminiscing about our friendship. Elisa and I became instant friends in London. Instant like, oh-my-gosh-I’ve-just-met-a-kindred-soul instant. Instant like, you-are-one-of-two-people-who-understand-me-and-I-don’t-even-know-who-the-other-person-is instant.

Last year we found ourselves back in Utah trying to figure our lives out, yet again. Elisa had applied to an MBA program in Scotland and I had applied to my writing program in Malibu. We were scared. Excited. Wondering if we would regret these drastic changes. Wondering if we had a problem allowing ourselves to be happy.

A year later, over breakfast bagels, brunch cupcakes, and a luxurious Mexican food lunch we decided no, we don’t have a problem. We are happy. Those decisions were good for us.